Ventilating door for the hatchways of refrigerator cars



Z 1927. i g G. A. HULL VENTLATING DOOR FOR THE HATCHWAYS OF REFRIGERATOR CARS 2 Sheets-Sheet l N, uw d, ,0. am kh 1 l n ,511% mm www G. A. HULL.

VENTILATIG DOOR FOR THE HfxTCIUNAYSl OF REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Deo. 11, 1924 2 sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 2, 1927. 'i

GEORGE a. HULL, onreaeo, Immers, Assrenon To EQUIPMENT SPECIALTIES oo., er oirrceso, .r.rrjners, A` coeronerron or IL'EINoIs.

l VENTLATING DOOR FOR, THE HATCHWAYSOF REFRIGERATOR CARS.

Application lfiled December 11, 1924; i Serial No. 755,203.

In the operatori of railroad refrigerator cars it is customary 'practice in; chilly or cold Weather to dispenserlivith ice in the ice vcompament and to raise the hatclnvay cov-A e ors,leadingtothese ice compartments so that cold air can permeatearoun'd the perishable commodities and so vthat vthe breeze resul*- ing` from the motion Aof the car canhloiv doivnthrough the hatChWays into the car.

ventilation. i

These open hatchways are an invitation to tramps to crawl 4down into the ice coinpartment and pilier fruits or other `,commodities packed in-V thefcai'. rIhis is made possible because the bulk head which vseparates each .ice compartment from lthe main compartment. has openings at top and root- ,tom for the ycirculation oi. cold air, and

compartment. .y y

y rllheft-prooil Ventilating doors haveheretofore `been provided for these hatchivays having` spaced .cross bars orl othery open-Work construction to permit of a `free'circulation of air through the car, but the prior v ventilatfor numerous reasons.V @ne objectionisnthlat when these doors are in open positionthey have to occupy space. in the main compara l.ment andhence they are apt tobe jammed or in'ure'dy in the nackinoof the main com-r partment. ,Also, .because o'f the,l 'fact that they have to slide iinto the main compart ment, their movementinto open position is roften obstructedby the end ott thedoor strikingfruit. crates or part voit thel cargo inther main compartment. Theseprior doors have been locked in closed position vfrom a point insidek the main compartment, and, ,conse-l Vquent-ly, it it is desired toinsert. ice in the ice compartment as a' result ot change of temperature in transit, access cannot helhad to theipoint oit locking for openingthe-*door Without vfirst removing a considerable part of the cargo inthe end of thecar.v These doors are also frequentlyinjured bythe paekirng of ice into the ice compartment. f Iliave obviated these objectionsbypro- Vviding a theft-proof ventilatingdoor .for hatchways which does not ihave to "occupy Space in the main compartment- .According` tothepresent invention, lthe doors of both techwr." irme-"inta the' in, eine The car is then tobe travelling` under:`

these openings frecpaently:afford accessibility to the commodities packed in the main` Y y y y -door'in'thev guide channels; s ing doors` have generally beenohjectionable ghatchivay. vSuch disposition of the doorin its openk position also protects the same;

against jamming or other injury incident to the paclfnp; of ice intothe ice compartment.

l-The presentl .doorv can also "he locked or .sealedifrom the'open top of the hatchvvay.

Referring to the accompanying drawings in which I have illustrated 'a preferred embodiment oi jmy invention Figure-l i's Ya` sectional View taken transversely lthrougfhfal refrigeratorfcar in the plane o't the ice compartment and 'hatclr Ways; v f' Figure 2 is a sectional `vieni taken on the plane ot theline v2&2 Yost Figure l;

sV Figure 'is a detail sectional view, taken approximitelyon the hneS-FB oi `Figure l,

illustrating the' mounting ot' V.the articulatedl Figure i alongitudinal sectional 'view through ,a door of 'modified design;

Figure? 5 is 'a transverse detail section thereof, taken on the plane Vof the line 5 5 of Figure 4.v v

Referring to Figures l and 2,' theV upper portion' ot a typicalretrigerator caris illustrated bythe side Wall 11lthe end ivall 12, and the root 1,8. The side'and end .Walls are ojt theusual .heat insulating' construction embodying several layers'othair `it'eltrrvith one or moreair spaces intervening', nospeciicpdescrpion 'of these 'details being neces` :sary 'asthey are .points vof construction Well known .inthe4 art.

The ice compartment 101s dened at each end of the car between the end Wall l2 and :ii-n apliant bulkiheadlt The Medine? Qf this ,ice compartment is Aeffected through twoihatchvays 15a die @Sed on opposite sid the teatral, rurales beard. A116 which extends along` the top of the `car. It is through these hatchways that the cold air is circulated when thevcar is travelling un- 3 der ventilation, and which it is desirable to protect by'ventilating doors.

These hatchways are defined between two transverse headers-17 and 1S extending from side to side of the car for support-ing the roof thereof. Said headers `may form the front and rear sides ofn the hatchways, or may have plates 19 land 2l sccuredthereto delining `these hatchway walls; The inner and outer side walls of each hatchwayare i formed by longitudinal plates or boards 22 and 23vextend1ng between the transverse plates lt) and 2l; The four plates defining each hatchway preferably project above the roof i3 to raise the upper edge of thehatchway opening. `The upper inner faces of these hatchways are preferably bevelled at a slight angle. asindicated at 2t to make `a tight fit with the plugs or covers 25. The lower portions of the `end and outer walls of each hatchway below the bevellefil por` tions Q/tinay beextendcddown substantial- `ly vertically. The inner walls of the hatchcated at 28-28- ways are preferably lined with eheetnietal -26 as a protectionagainst injury 'from ice in the packing of the ice compartment.

In describing one of the preferred einbodi ments of my invention, mention should first f be made of the fact that this embodiment utilizes a unique structural feature in refrigerator car construction which has been.`

made the subjecti of United States Letters APatent No. 1,220,830, issued to-llililiiam Il.Y

Emerick. This improved feature consists in flaring the inner sine walls of boli-h hatch-V ways dowwardly toward each other, as indi- These flaring side walls are cti-extensive with the inner side plates 22--22 and form an intervening `wall of wedgeshaped section between the two hatchways. The provision of these enlarged openings at the lower portionsfof the hatchways facilitates the chopping in of theice and the distribution of it toward the intermediate portion of Vthe ice compartment'.A Iig-also af i fords a. freeriescape fora risingcolumn of warm air whenthe car is travelin under ventilation.

tween these two `sloping "walls 28-28 for receiving and housing the ventilatingdoors of both hatchways when the latter are moved to their open positions. Moreover, I utilize the considerable length of each slop-ing` wall 28in forming a long inclined runway or chute into which the Ventilating dooris slid when it is moved to its open position. "The inclination of the wall 28i which isjthe salif ent feature ofthe abovc-mentioned .patent` fis of great advantage in the present situation because the door does not-have -to pass through any considerable angle "1n being moved between its open and closed positions.

bolts.

bars. y Y i The door is adapted to be locked or sealed in its closed position through hinged lock-- ing angles 4l which are pivoted to brackets T utilizethe space defined be! i Thesloping walls 28 f p spacedrelation to the walls f 29` in any: suit-V `Both walls 28 are preferably constructed of sheet metal, either in the form of separate sheets or in the form of a single sheet folded in V-forin, to extend up'both sides of `the wedge-shaped dividing wall. These sheet metal walls 28 are spaced from inner walls 29 constructed of wood header Vplates or boards extending between the transverse headers V17 and 18 and pointing downto an apex similar to the walls 28-28. Transverse struts 3l are secured to the sloping inner walls 29 for bracing the same.

Thedooris indicated at 32, and is of a1'- Vticulated construction so that it can move through the angle incident between its open without difficulty.

The "door is constructed of a series of spaced cross bars 35 of anglesection connected at their ends by links 36. Asshown in Figure 3,`the lower flange of each cross baris turned up at the end, as indicated at 37, toprovide an attaching flange to which the links 36 can be connected. The pivotal connections between adjacentlinks 36 may occur interinediate'thecross bars 35? as in diciited at 38 in Figuretl; or Vthe ends of adjoining links may beoiferlapped and pivoted to the end attaching flanges 37 of the cross llf2 secured to the `front and rear walls of each hatchway. These locking angles are adapted to be swung down behind the ver-V tical flange of the foremost cross bar 35, the angle 41 and the cross bar'havingcooperat- `ing apertures for receiving the hasp of a padlock or a lead seal. It will be noted that the front edge of the door need not be` car` `ried into abutting contact with the side wall 23of the hatchway; being carried onlyto a point where the intervening space willnot greatly exceed the spacing between the cross bars 35. "This also applies to the rear edge ofthe door.` This shortens the necessary length` of the door.`

may be secured in able manner to `form the necessary inclined chutesor runwaysfor receiving the `doors Ywhen moved into their open positions.` A vpreferred. expedient is illustrated -in Figure vtogether at either 'end of .ft-he, door.

where it 4willy/be seen .that the lateral malt;- :gi-ns .ot these walls or plates i 2 8. are secured `"to the lower' flanges-.Ot thmgude Channels'i. The upper :edges of 4 these sheet metal plates lare pre erably :tuig-ned aback, .as indicated at 44, t0 'form roundednpperedges zat fthepen-v for 'movement in, the preceding arrangement v of theguides or in any ,analogous ar nge- -ment-ol guides. Inthisfforin-the cross ..ars also .consist of-angle bars. ;T he` ends vof :the -upri-ght 'flanges vof these f anglepbn18-zale prg* vided Iwith apertures through avhich ,.a-.re

are maintained. in `spacedrelationzliw a series l of short spacing sleeves 49 threaded on these .connecting cables Vbetween iadjacent vcross bars. Thesespacing;sleeves 41:9? ane-3suiiticient'ly short, fand suilicient lclearance is maintained between; the-instoprovide .a 'very flexible .connecting :means between-'the CIOSS bars. .It desirechthe oifoss-barsfor spacing sleeves Ybe y iXedly attached l,f.o the connecting cables at spac edintervalsftoprevent the cross Ybars fand sleeves .from bunchjgng may be accomplished ifby f providingfcertain ofthe spacing `sleeves gwit-hgthrreaded z bOSSeS 5l for receiving set screws 52 which press clamping blocks 53 up a'ga'instthe connect# ing cable 48. y g.

In Figure 6 a have illustrated .ai-'modified f :onstruction7A departing fromL that; previously described in that theclia-nnelI guides for -thedoors are curved upwardlytoeginethe requisite length of guideforreceivinggeach door, instead of being-` carried downto .apen point. shown in Figure fl. iInfthisa. rangement, .the channel guidesuare curved upwardly in back of the inner wallsc29 rth rough gradual curve. This.-permit Sifthe wedge-shaped dividingw-all between the hathwaysto be .cut-ovifin frustrum section. Figure 7 illustrates a modification in which the two Ventilating doors move in rectilinear` paths. In this Vconstruction the doors may be of rigid assembly comprising side channels or angles 56 connected by transverse angle bars 57. The guide channels 58 extend horizontally in a substantially straight line across the hatchways and through kopenings 59 in the inner walls 22` of the hatchways. The two guide channels way doors can be slid into the same vertical This space v-die'fined `between' the .walls 122'.. VNithen iii-.their openpositios, the #front lan-glie :bars

of fthese. doorsclose the openings 59 so that the entrance of ice :into these rguideavays iis 'lirelented This construction may be embodied :iin that .design .where the :sloping iirin'e'r :walls 28 are employed, or Where the .inner .walls 122V .arecarried-straight do-.wnijto the bottoms-.of the ,hatchway:s, as illustrated in Fi gnre 7.

connection .with 'Fignre f1 fisfalso .applicable lo 'the'. embodiments shownrin Figures zand 7, .or any otherllockingfor sealing .means 1n.ay :b.eemployed 1 i TI do l'not .intend to be f limited Ito the A.particular .details henein shownand described, Vas :it will @be'robviousatliat various lmodifications and rearrangements oit .pa'ntsimay-ghe -n'iade Within -.the .spiritandfscope l:of the Jinventi-on. y

vIl. :In combination, arailrqad.,car..comprisin g a Vroioi Shaving.aalpairof;.hatclfrways, anrl" yaventilatingfdoardor `:f )ne of :said hatchwa-ys 1 75. The locking or sealing meansdescribedin i of said hatchways. n

. 2. In comb'inatizonfamailrzoad; car .comprising' 1a. root having apair1ofadjacent transverse hatchways ,and s lri-dable .ventilating doors :for each oil lsaidhatchways adapted, when ope-11,: to-oeoupypositions between, said hatchways. i: f

3. AIn f .combinatiom :a .railroad car coin- Vprising .a rooharing 5.a :pali-rol? adjacent transverse 'hatohvvays', a `.slidaible `gna-rd dior one Voffsaid hatchways, `and guide means'ifor confining Said guard y in the-space between said ilis' ij tcheiv.ays y.when said guard is Vin :its i -open. p0sition. i y f A. In combination, .a prising a roof `having a :pair of adjacent .transversefhatchways', a-ndla do or rior fonefolt lor to ylie .whollyj between Athe adje-leent. edges said llatchWays movable 'intolspace defined :between `-vertical planes passing.: throngh .the upper :in-ner edges of .said yhaltehn/. ays., and

below top of car.

15. icnmbination, ayrailnoadnar `cominising a rhatcbway,andaventilating door for l said betetmay Inovable -.i=nto .and .out of closed. posi-tion `Ltransversely- :ofthe Car.

6. II-1 ;:combi-nation,lairailroadcar-cenrprismg arooi having a pair of hatchways,` andl VVentilating doors for both hatchways movable into and out of closed positionstransversely of the car. v 7. In combination, a railroad car compris-y ing a kroof having a pair of adjacent transverse hatchways, and a Ventilating doo-r Jfor one of 'said hatchways, said door being movedvr to open position by sliding ina di- .r'ection generallytoward the other hatchway. 58 are offset vertically so that both hatchhatchways being spaced a distance less than the aggregate width of both doors,` ventilating doors for `each of said hatchways7 and guideways for each of said doors extending in a direction generally toward the other hatchway. 1

9. In combination,` a railroad car comprising a` roof having a hatchway, and an articulated grating for said hatchway .movable into and out of operative position transversely `of the car. v u i 110. In a railwayrefrigerator car, the combination of a roof `provided withla hatchway5 one of thewallsoiisaid hatchway having its lower portion sloping obliqucly downwardly relative to its upper portion, andi a Ventilating door for said hatchway movable intofa position alongside said sloping Wall portion. f

`l1.` In a railway refrigerator car, the combination of a roof provided with a hatchwa-y, one of the walls of said hatchway having its lower portion sloping downwardly and inclined ltoward the central plane or the car,` a Ventilating door tor said hatchway, and guide means for said ventilating doorextending substantially parallel to `said sloping wall portion.` i g 12. In a refrigerator car, thecombination of a` roof provided with a hatch opening,v a frame surrounding said opening andv forming the wallsthereof,` one vof said walls having its lower portion sloping obliqiiely downwardlyrelative to its upper portion to permit access to thespace beneath said rootl at the side'of said opening, a Ventilating door for saidhatch opening, anda receiving chute for said door extending behind the sloping portion of said last-mentionedwall. `13; In a railway rei'rigera-torcar7 the combination of a roof provided with `a hatchway, one of the walls of said hatehway `having its lower portion sloping fobliquely downwardly relative to itsupper portion, and an articulated grating for closing said hatchway adapted in its Vopen position` to occupy a position substantally parallel with said sloping wall portion. f g

14. In a railway refrigerator car, the combinationof a roof provided with a'pair ot hatchways, the inner walls of Aboth hatchways having their lower portions sloping obliquely downwardlyrelative to their upper along the sloping portion of said wall when being moved to its open positon.

16.` In combination, a railroad car-comprising a-roof having a hatchway, and an articulated grating for said hatchway comjoined by connecting links.

l?.` In combination'`4 a railroad car comprising a roof having a hatchway, guide channels: havingA portions extending cross- `wise of said hatchway and portions extending, at an angle thereto,` andan articulated door for `movement in said guide channels comprising a plurality ot`cross bars-and links pivotally connecting the ends of said crossbars. g i "i '18. In a railway refrigerator caiga rootl having a pair of hatchways,` and `frames surrounding each of said hatchways, the `adjacent walls of the twoframes being'sloped downwardly towards each other andv terminating in a pointedapex to permit ready access to all ofthe space beneath the root between the hatchways. i

19. In a railway refrigeratorcar, the combination ot a roof provided with a pair of hatchways, a frame surrounding each hatchway and vforming the walls thereof, the two inner `walls of said two frames .being inclined downwardly `towards each other and trally between said hatchways. Y 20.` In a railway refrigerator car, an outside enclosing surface `havinga plurality ot openings spaced a `distance less than the prising a plurality of4 cross barsfpivotally terminating in a pointed apex disposed cenwidth of an opening, closure means prevent- 

